How to Set Up Product Approvals
Audience
Admin, Product Manager, Approver
Prerequisites
Access to Settings → Workflows → Approvals
Status
General Availability
Overview
Product Approvals create a structured review process that ensures all catalog updates are verified before going live.
This workflow helps maintain data accuracy, brand compliance, and accountability when publishing products to Shopify or other channels.
💡 Why Product Approvals Matter
Approval workflows prevent incomplete or incorrect products from being published, ensuring catalog integrity and compliance. They enable:
- Controlled publishing and version tracking
- Role-based accountability for product data
- Improved team collaboration before activation
- Error reduction in live product listings
- Transparent approval history for audits
When activated, the Product Approval Workflow adds a Pending Approval step between Draft and Active states.
⚙️ How the Approval Workflow Works
Workflow Stage | Action | Result |
|---|---|---|
Draft | Product created or updated | Awaiting submission |
Pending Approval | Submitted for review | Locked until approved |
Approved | Reviewer accepts changes | Product moves to Active |
Rejected | Reviewer requests updates | Product returns to Draft with notes |
Steps
1️⃣ Enable Approvals Workflow
Go to Settings → Workflows → Approvals and toggle Product Approval Workflow = ON.
Expected: The review process activates for all products moving from Draft to Active.
2️⃣ Define Approval Rules
Click Manage Rules and configure which product actions require approval.
Common rules include:
- All new products
- Pricing changes
- Media or attribute updates
- Bulk edits affecting more than N products
💡 Tip: Keep rules minimal at first to simplify adoption.
Expected: Approval triggers apply automatically based on rule conditions.
3️⃣ Assign Approvers
Define who can approve product changes. Assign by Role (e.g., Admin, Manager) or Individual User.
For complex workflows, set multi-level approvals (e.g., Product Manager → Director).
Expected: Approvers appear in the workflow configuration list.
📸 Screenshot 5 – assign-approvers.png
User role assignment screen for approval permissions.
4️⃣ Submit for Approval
When a product is ready, click Submit for Approval instead of directly activating it.
The product status changes to Pending Approval.
Expected: Product becomes read-only until a decision is made.
5️⃣ Review and Approve
Approvers receive notifications via email or in-app alerts.
They can Approve, Request Changes, or Reject the submission.
💡 Tip: Include notes when requesting changes to improve clarity for submitters.
Expected:
- Approved → Product status = Active
- Rejected → Product returns to Draft with reviewer comments
6️⃣ Track Approval History
Open the Activity Log or Approval Dashboard to review submission history.
You’ll see details like submitter, approver, timestamps, and action taken.
Expected: Every approval event is recorded with user details for audit tracking.
✅ Validate
After setup, submit a test product for approval and confirm that the workflow triggers correctly.
Check that the designated approver receives a notification and can review the product.
Approve the product and verify that it moves to Active status automatically.
Review the Approval History to confirm that all actions are logged.
🔧 Troubleshooting
Issue | Likely Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
Product not entering approval flow | Workflow not enabled | Recheck toggle under Settings → Workflows → Approvals |
Approver not receiving notification | Missing email or role assignment | Verify user roles and notification settings |
Product stuck in Pending Approval | Approver inactive or missing | Assign backup approver or manually override |
Approval action not logged | Audit log disabled | Enable logging in Settings → Activity Tracking |
🌟 Best Practices
- Keep approval chains short (1–2 levels) to avoid bottlenecks.
- Assign clear roles and backup approvers.
- Use comments to provide feedback when rejecting submissions.
- Review approval reports weekly for audit readiness.
📈 Impact
✅ 100% traceable product publishing process
🔍 Reduced catalog errors before activation
🤝 Improved collaboration between teams
🧾 Summary
Product Approvals introduce structured, role-based workflows that ensure all product updates are verified and approved before going live — maintaining catalog quality, brand compliance, and traceability across MerchPIM and Shopify.
Updated on: 03/11/2025
Thank you!